Jeddah.. 787 artworks that evoke the biography of King Salman and compete for the Diaa Portrait Award

The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts celebrated in Jeddah And her visual visions.

The award, which is the only one specialized in portraiture in the Middle East, witnessed wide participation from male and female artists, of which 61 works qualified for the final stage, in an indicator that reflects its growing position in the Saudi art scene and its continued presence as an artistic and cultural platform that celebrates creativity and national identity.

A pioneering cultural project in the Kingdom

The ceremony began, which was held in the presence of elite From officials, intellectuals, artists and media professionals, in a speech by the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts, Abdulaziz Al-Sama’il, in which he stressed that the award has become one of the leading cultural and artistic projects in the Kingdom, and has contributed over nine years to supporting the art of portraiture and enhancing its presence in The Fine Movement of Saudi Arabia.

For his part, the artist Diaa Aziz Diaa expressed his happiness with the presence and impact achieved by the award, pointing out that the artistic level of the participating works this year reflects the extent of development witnessed by Saudi fine art and the creative capabilities and qualitative experiences possessed by Saudi artists.
Dr. Adel Khamis stressed in his speech that the partnership between “Scent of Culture” and “Layan Cultural” contributed to supporting The award and its continuity, in a way that enhances the presence of qualitative cultural initiatives and supports artists and creators.

In turn, Dr. Abdullah Dahlan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Business and Technology, expressed the university’s pride in hosting the award, stressing the importance of supporting cultural and artistic initiatives that contribute to building people, developing creativity, and strengthening the partnership between cultural and academic institutions.

Diverse paragraphs and programs

The evening included a patriotic poem by the poet Jasser Al-Ahmadi, while musician Dr. Madani Abadi presented A musical segment on the qanun instrument received interaction from the audience, before His Highness Prince Faisal bin Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Saud reviewed a group of his photographs of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques that he had taken over the years, discussing the humanitarian, national and historical dimensions they carry.

His Highness also renewed the commitment of “Layan Cultural” to continue supporting the award, stressing that it has become a solid cultural and artistic achievement and a national message that contributes to supporting artists and enhancing the presence of visual arts in The Kingdom.
The ceremony witnessed the presentation of the operetta “Saudi Arts Medal” directed by Khaled Al-Baz, in which it reviewed the features of popular and traditional arts in the various regions of the Kingdom, presenting an artistic painting that reflected the diversity of Saudi cultural identity.

Award Winners

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the results of the award were announced, where the artist Iman Mansour Al-Luimi won first place, the artist Faea Al-Almai came in second place, while the artist Ghaida Abdullah Al-Dahri came in third place.
He also won other places. From the fourth to the tenth, Saeed Al-Shahrani, Fahd Khalif, Abdul Latif Al-Kirmani, Majid Al-Muqrin, Maha Al-Askar, Manal Al-Bukhari, and Muhammad Saleh.

The director of the Jeddah Culture and Arts Society and the general supervisor of the organizing committee of the award, Muhammad bin Ibrahim Al Subeih, confirmed that the ninth edition expressed, in the language of art and color, feelings of pride in the leader of the nation, indicating that the artists succeeded in presenting works that carry humanitarian and patriotic messages that transcend the boundaries of language and reach the world. Through the power of images and the beauty of creativity.

He added that the award has succeeded since its inception in attracting 3,925 artistic entries, and has contributed to enriching the Saudi plastic movement and supporting artists, extending his thanks to the sponsors, supporters, success partners, jury committees, and all participants who contributed to the success of this edition.

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